


Love Is Strange

by HiroPride



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, Bullying, Friendship, Gay Sex, James is a Dork, James is bottom, James keeps a journal, James' parents know about his sexuality, Kissing, M/M, Mpreg, Oral Sex, Pranks, Romance, Severus is smarter than James thinks, Shenanigans, Shower Sex, The Marauders - Freeform, The marauders don't know, The password to James' journal is easier than you think, gay relationship, hexes, wet dreams
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-04-19 08:56:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14233788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiroPride/pseuds/HiroPride
Summary: At the start of his sixth year, James Potter decides to finally stop ruining Severus' life. His friends agree to stop the bullying but what they do not know is the reason why James decided to put an end to it. They think he just matured or grew tired of it but the truth is a little more complicated than that.





	1. Chapter 1

James looked up at the sky and sighed. Why didn't he just leave his mind? Why didn't the Slytherin leave his mind already? He only could think about him. About his black hair that he would put up in a ponytail when he went to study. About his dark eyes. Many people didn't know what was so appealing about Severus Snape and James didn't knew either untill he had seen him in a different light. He had seen the 17-year old Slytherin laughing and chuckling with Lily at Hogsmeade this past summer and the sound of the other's happiness had confused him. To the point he had changed his views on the other completly.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder: the marauder era is in this story replaced from the 1970's to the 1990's. So it's 1997 in this story when the marauders are 17 and at their sixth year at Hogwarts. This means that other events, like the birth of Harry, the wizarding wars and everything else is also 20 years later than originally.

Up to his fifth year James and the other Marauders had been bullying Severus quite harshly but as James had realised by his sixth year started that he couldn't get Lily's attention if he kept bullying the Slytherin, he quit. But soon Lily started dating someone else so James felt like he had stopped for nothing. Even though he wanted to go back to it, the other Marauders didn't seem to want to. On one of the cold many days in December he had got himself in detention together with Severus. The teacher went to the bathroom but had made sure to lock the door of the detention class with a spell so the boys couldn't escape. James sighed, not feeling like it. He didn't want to be here with a weird guy like Severus.

He kept telling himself that Severus was a strange, crazy guy but that was something he believed in the past, he didn't do so anymore. His friends however had mixed opinions. Sirius still found Severus disgusting and he'd rather continue the torture but then again, it also kind of bored him so he didn't see the point. Remus was more neutral and he didn't think of Severus as a bad person but didn't think of him as a good one either. He thought that the bullying had gotten to the point it was enough and he wanted to concentrate on school and the amount of assignments and self study that came with it. Peter didn't really had an opinion and he just followed along with what the other marauders did. He had always done that. If the other boys had continued in their previous actions, he would have done so too so now they had quit, he did as well.

The marauders had stopped their behaviour towards Severus but that didn't really mean that they were kind to him. They just avoided him. Well all the guys did except for James Potter himself. He could help but glance at the Slytherin so now and then. Sometimes he would get himself and Severus in detention so they could be together. Which he later would regret or did he really?

Severus in the meanwhile was busy with an assignment as he was eagerly writing with his quill on the scroll. Just cause he was stuck in this idiotic detention because of Potter didn't mean he couldn't get something done. The moronic professor wasn't even in here watching them. Hopefully Potter wouldn't interrupt him.

Thankfully Potter and his minions hadn't been bothering him lately and he hoped it stayed that way. Ever since Severus's and Lily's friendship became strained the mauraders hadn't been pushing him so much lately. It was almost like James stopped his bullying to get a chance with Lily when Severus gave that a second thought, it didn't seem so logical to him. Lily already had a boyfriend and it seemed serious so she would let James flirt with her. Not that she needed a boyfriend to make James stop trying flirting with her. Lily liked James as much Severus liked him and that said a lot.

Severus shook his head and he tried focussing again on his charms assignment. Untill James decided to interrupt him of course.

"What are you up to, Snivellus?" James asked mocking the other boys name.

He didn't care he did but he wouldn't bully him really. He wanted to at least tease him a bit. There was no way he was going to make his assignments now, he didn't feel like doing that.

Severus sighed and glared at the Gryffindor. "Really, isn't that getting a little old?" He asked, meaning the other calling him by 'Snivellus'. It was made up by the marauders and it sounded just as stupid as their own nicknames according to Severus' opinion.

"Uh, you're so boring. Can't you just answer a simple question?" James then asked getting annoyed a little with Severus avoiding his question. "Why do you even call me Potter? My name is James." He added.

"I call you Potter cause I don't like you. There I answered a question. Now if you wouldn't mind I'm busy working." Severus said before  he continued to work on his paper. He looked back at the scroll as he was doing so.

James rolled his eyes and then frowned. "Well great, is that a thank you to me because I stopped bullying you?" He asked.

"Just cause you have stopped your shenanigans doesn't mean I forgive you." Severus looked up and glared at him.

"Then what do you want me to do? What would you make you forgive me?" James then asked seriously.

"Why do you want my forgiveness anyway? I'm just the greasy halfblood Slytherin Snivellus. Why do you care?" Severus asked, getting really annoyed with Potter now. Why would the other want his forgiveness? It was great that the other stopped his actions but he didn't see him and the other forgive eachother and become friends or something.

"I want forgiveness so we can leave this behind us. There are more important things than holding grudges right?" James tried and Severus still glared at him.

"Perhaps if you keep up not bothering me I will forgive you but for now I still don't trust you. You're partially the reason Lily and I are no longer friends."

"You are partially the reason Lily is dating another guy instead of me. You--" James started but the professor came in so James shut up and pretended like he was working on an assignment.

 

After detention James left to the Gryffindor common room but he first walked along Severus for a little. In the past he couldn't have done that without pushing the half blood over, tripping him or casting hexes on him. Now he just walked next to him without a word. It was certainly a strange sight and the marauders would think he had lost his mind, especially Sirius would think so.

Severus kept glancing at Potter as they walked side by side. Expecting him to do something, any type of prank but he didn't and that made Severus question something.

"Can I help you?" he asked, glaring when he looked up to the other male.

"You help me? With what would you help me? To die?" James asked, now he was glaring at Severus.

"Why are you following me Potter? I was just wondering if there was something you need. " He got a little suspicious, what was Potter planning?

"I'm meeting up with the other guys and I need to go this way." James explained.

"Whatever.." The Slytherin looked away again.

"Do you have plans too?" he asked. Then James felt like he wanted to cast a spell on himself that him would make shut up because he didn't get why the hell he was getting so friendly with the Slytherin.

_Because you're in love with him, James._

His thoughts made him shiver a little. He knew that was the truth but he did his very best to fight the feeling that he had for the other. There was after all no chance that the other would like him back. He would either expose him when he confessed or he would just think he was under the influence of some potion. Severus would never believe that James felt anything positive towards him, that's what James thought at least.

"Not really. Just working on assignments and avoiding Malfoy." Severus shrugged. He didn't know why he told Potter that last part. He didn't need to.  It was James' bussiness and he probably didn't care either. Or so Severus thought untill he heard the other's questions. They sounded like he was almost worried about his well-being.

"Why are you avoiding him? I know he's a creepy stuck up bitch but does he irritate you that much? Is he...bullying you?" James asked, not knowing why he asked that. He shouldn't care about that matter right? The other marauders would laugh at him if they witnessed this conversation.

Severus was confused with the sudden interest of the other but he told him anyway what was going on. Thinking he wouldn't shut up if he didn't told him. "Malfoy and I have a complicated arrangement. If I do some of his work and offer assistance he offers me protection and a status within the slytherin house. The purebloods there don't like that I am a half blood. Malfoy keeps them off my bac;k. Lately though he has been more obnoxious and asking for things I would not like to give. He isn't necessarily bullying me. Just being a pest. He is spoiled like you." He smirked looking at Potter.

"Asking for things you don't want to give? Like what? Money? Your virginity? Dangerous potion recipes?" James said and then he pouted a bit. "I'm not spoiled!" he said. "Don't compare me to Malfoy by the way, that's very insulting!"

"You are the only child from a purebloods family. You're spoiled." Severus smirked "And he is just being a pest."

"Pureblood doesn't equal spoiled. The weasleys aren't spoiled but they're purebloods. Besides, him being a pest doesn't answer my--" James got interrupted by a familiar voice that called him by his nickname.

"Prongs!" Sirius called before arriving by James' side, witnessing now the awkward scene between James and Severus.

 


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius just witnessed James talking to Severus which he finds awkward and confusing. What will he do?

"Prongs!" Sirius called before arriving by James' side, witnessing now the awkward scene between James and Severus. Sirius knew he and the other marauders had agreed upon not bullying or pestering Snape in any way since September this year but as months had passed Sirius had noticed that James had been acting stranger and stranger. First James had only been glancing occasionally at the Slytherin but it had turned into staring in December and now it was February and he was talking to Snape like he was his new best friend or something.

"I think you're sick, James. Maybe you should go to bed already." Siruis remarked ignoring Severus. The Slytherin on the other hand was glaring at Black but he kept his mouth shut. He honestly didn't want to deal with Potter's gang right now.

"Nah, I'm fine. I'm just chatting Severus here. Right?" he asked as he looked back at Severus , who didn't react on what he said.

"I'm getting you the hospital wing, James. This isn't normal anymore." Sirius said as he grabbed the other Gryffindor by the arm and pulled him along. He took them to their usual meeting place instead of the hospital wing but did tell the other two marauders about what he had seen. James said that Sirius overreacted a little but actually he couldn't blame him. Him talking to Severus without playing pranks or casting hexes on the other was just too strange for words.

 

Later that evening him and the marauders went on their usual mischief but they somehow got into a conversation about relationships. James felt a little awkward with it and tried to keep his lie up that he had at least dated a few girls here and there which wasn't true at all.

"What about you, Sirius?" Peter asked, which he had better not. From that point the conversation went from awkward to something that upset Sirius for a reason. 

"I haven't been.." Sirius started, unusually soft and his expression looked somewhat sad which was also something that the other marauders weren't used to of him.

"How come?" James tried but he had better not too either because instead of an answer he walked off without glancing back once. James wanted to call out to him but he didn't in the end so the boys decided to go back to bed.

Once in bed James waited for the others to go to sleep before taking out his journal and unlocking it with the help of his secret password that he only knew. When the book opened up, James took his quil and started to write.

**_February 17, 1997_ **

**_Today in detention I talked to Severus. It was very strange to say the least but it wasn't as bad as I imagined. I didn't got to know a lot of him but I do know now that Malfoy has been pestering him, whatever that might mean._ **

**_I'm not sure as to when I will be able to tell him to become my friend. I need him to become my friend first before I can confess to him. Right now he still hates me, which he has all the right to of course. But I still need to find a way to get him to forgive me. So the plan is to be as kind to him as I can be. It will be weird for him, I suppose and my friends will think I lost my brain somewhere but I have to do it._ **

**_I hope the plan works._ **

James stopped writing after that sentence and sighed before closing the journal and locking it. He really hoped the plan didn't backfire like some of his pranks did. He sighed again and put the journal under his pillow and put the quil away as well before taking his glasses off and going to bed. He really hoped that he didn't have 'that' dream again. He didn't want to keep making excuses up to his friends. But it wasn't like he could tell that his 'dreams' were about Severus. It might make them question his sanity.

 

Next morning James had Charms just after breakfast and that year they would have Charms with Slyhterin together. Normally James wasn't looking forward to that but he felt strangely excited and he didn't know why. His friends mistook his mood and thought he was planning mischief which they wouldn't hold him back from. They realised they were wrong however when they arrived in class and James awkwardly waved with a big smile on his face to Severus. Not only the marauders were surprised but the whole classroom of students looked shocked.

Severus looked up from his scroll towards James and looked at him oddly but did offer a small wave towards him. He had no idea what or why James was being so nice but he found it slightly endearing.

"What in Merlin's beard..." Sirius whispered to Peter and Remus who were just as surprised as him.

As class started the professor sighed when James kept talking with Sirius and tried to solve it the simpliest way. He asked James to stand up and to go sit next to Severus. Previously James would have hated this but now he didn't mind and he quickly went to sit next to the other boy. He even smiled at him.

"I'm really going to take him to the hospital wing.." Sirius said.

Severus sighed when James came and sat next to him. He tried to focus on his class work and ignore this oddly nicer version of James potter.

After class though the other marauders held Severus back. Peter and Remus just watched but Sirius held Severus against the wall. "Did you hex James?" He asked.

"Or gave him a love potion or something?" Remus asked.

"A love potion? James wouldn't drink that...right?" Peter asked.

Severus glared and struggled against Blacks grip. "Get your hands off of me you mutt! No, I have done nothing to your precious Potter. He has just started acting this nicely out of the blue during detention the other day!"

"Sirius, you also can ask him questions without shoving him against the wall.." Remus said and made Sirius let go of Severus.

"Why would James be nice to you though? I mean, he agreed to stop bullying you starting this year but he never said he would be nice towards you." Peter said.

"Indeed I thought we were just going to avoid you from now on and act decent towards you but I don't know why he suddenly smiles and you and waves at you." Sirius said.

"Let's just ask James...I don't think Severus knows." Remus said.

"Fine but you also go talk to him, Sni-- I mean... Severus." Sirius said and he glared at the Slytherin before walking off.

Peter followed him and Remus did too after a sigh. Then James came out of class and he looked at Severus.

"Did they bother you?" he asked.

Severus looked over at James and snarled picking up his bag aggressively and glaring. "You and your little posse are always a bother. I don't know what you are up to Potter pretending to be nice all of a sudden and I don't care. Tell your little fan group to stay the hell away from me. And the next time black touches me I'll curse him into next week." severus huffed and began to walk towards the library.

"I'm not pretending..." James said just loud enough for Severus to hear before he saw him walk off.

'At least I think so' he thought to himself before he went to look for his friends. He went to talk to them once he found them and Sirius labeled him as crazy after the conversation ended but even though he agreed he didn't say that and went to look for Severus. He didn't knew why he did so but he wanted to talk to the other.

Once he found him in the library he decided to surprise the other by getting control over his quill and writing on Severus' scroll:"Hey, Severus."

Severus glared up at James. A few strands of hair were in his face while the rest was in a ponytail. It helped keep most of his hair out of his face as he worked and James loved the look on him but he couldn't say that. "What do you want potter?" Severus asked.

"What are you studying for? Potion class? History of magic?" James asked as he guessed.

"No, it must be defense against the dark arts, your favourite subject." James said as he sat down next to Severus.

"I know you better than you think." He added.

Severus felt slightly uncomfortable with how close James was sitting next to him. No one really had ever sat this close to him except for Lily. "You don't know me at all Potter. And what I am studying doesn't concern you."

"I don't? Well then why do I know you had a crush on Lily? And that you're a virgin and that you plan to...well I rather don't say that out loud." James said.

"Your favourite subject is defense against the dark arts, you're very skilled in making potions and you're not good at quidditch, that's why you don't play it but you're also not very interested." He said.

"As I said before you don't know me Potter." Severus glared at him "Why are you bothering me?"

"Am I bothering you? Because that's not why I decided to talk to you..." James now took a little distance between them and sighed. "I just wanted to talk." He said. This wasn't going very well but what could James expect after what he did to Severus the past five years.

"And why did you want to talk? To pretend and be nice for awhile. Make me think we are friends then later pull the rug from under my feet and leaving me like everyone else does?" Severus glared at him.

"You know, I never said that. No wonder Lily left you, you don't trust anyone." James glared back at him. "I just wanted to chat with you okay! Even if you hate me, that's okay but you just keep pushing me away. You don't even give me the chance to talk to you properly. I got over bullying you, why don't you try getting over us bullying you huh?! Grow up and get over it!" He yelled before he stood up and stormed away.

Severus snarled pulling out his wand and shooting a binding hex at James. He stood over him glaring down.

"Bullying? You humiliated me everyday Potter. Hung me upside down. Sent me to the infirmary multiple times and let's not forget that little wolf incident where I nearly died. You made me lose my only friend and yeah, I don't trust you or anyone cause no one has given me a reason to trust them. And I'm here to do work not play games. You think you know me Potter but you don't know what the hell I've been through or what I'm going through. You think I want to be like this? This is the easiest way for me to not get hurt. While you and your little friends are out galavanting around some of us are focusing on the war that is coming. So excuse me for keeping my guard up and being pissed off at you and your idiotic friends." He released the binding hex and made his way back to his work station.

James didn't follow him this time but left the library in silence. It was no use. Severus was right. So James realised that it was no use to become his friend. He had to give up on him. There was no choice.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James had left the library after Severus rightfully lashed out to him. But it upset him more than the Slytherin expected.

For the next classes however he didn't show up and at lunch time he didn't sat at the table. His friends didn't went to ask Severus about it because Remus insisted to the other two that Severus wouldn't have anything to do with it. However after lunch time, Lily approached Severus to ask if he was okay and if he knew were James was. "Did he maybe try to put you in the infirmary again?" she asked. She honestly was more worried about Severus than James but wanted to know where James was so Sirius could stop glaring at Severus all the time.

Severus didn't look up from his book "No he didn't. He was trying to play the victim again so I was honest with him about how the world doesn't care about Potters world." He looked at her unimpressed "You must be really worried if you're talking to me Evans."

"I am worried, I might not hang around you as much anymore but I still care about you. More than I ever would about James." She said as she noticed Severus didn't want her around him. "I'll let them know so Sirius can go back to eating instead of staring you down like there's no tomorrow." she said before she walked back to the Gryffindors table.

Severus glared down at his food annoyed with everyone. He then got up and picked up his bag and made his way towards Gryffindor Tower. Once he got there he requested that the fat lady to tell James Potter that he wanted to speak with him.

Once James got notice of that, he left the gryffindor tower and waited for Severus to come by. He wondered why the other wanted to speak after what happened in the library.

When James came out of Gryffindor tower severus stood there arms crossed "Everyone's worried about you cause you haven't been attending classes or meals. Why?"

"Because I don't feel like it. I don't feel like taking potion class. I don't feel like eating with my fan club like you call it. Not today." James said. "Is that really why you're here?" He asked.

"I upset you that much? And I'm here cause now they a re all bothering me" Severus frowned tilting his head.

"I'm not answering on that but you know if they really cared they would have asked me. I don't need their fake worries and I don't need you here if the only reason you're here is them. You're not worried about me. You'd like to take revenge and kill me if you had the chance so go away." James looked down.

"Now that's extreme Potter. You annoy me but I don't want to kill you. And I don't care much for revenge. I have other things to worry about." Severus sighed running his fingers through his hair. "Look the only reason I was that harsh was to get my point across. You act cocky all the time and it annoys the crap outta me and I especially didn't like how you assumed you knew me." Severus looked down.

"I don't okay but..even if it's too much to ask, please try to forgive me." He looked down and then thought of something. "I don't know much of you, maybe I know nothing but let me try to get to know you better.." He tried as he still didn't look Severus in the eyes.

Severus looked up at him confused "i-i will try but again Why? Why do you care all of a sudden?"

"It's hard to explain, even with your big brain you wouldn't understand it." James said.

Severus smirked "Try me."

"No. I'm not going to tell you. It's for you to find out and you can ask my friends but they don't know my reason either so you will have to find out yourself." James smirked back.

Severus sighed "You never make things easy do you potter?"

"Nope. Do you like reading?" James asked.

Severus sighed "Yes I enjoy reading. You watch me read alot so that was kind of a silly question."

"Alright then, follow me. There's something I want to show you." James said as he smiled a little and leaded the other into gryffindor tower.

Severus followed him curious and looked around the gryffindor common room. It was warmer and brighter then the slytherin one  
James took him upstairs to his room which he shared with Sirius and he walked to his side of the room and took out a book out from under his bed and looked at it. 

"I thought...maybe you could do something with it. I don't really like reading and Sirius would just throw it away so uhm...you can have it. I don't know what it's about, I only know it's written by a muggle." He said before he handed the book to Severus.

Severus took the book and looked at it. It was slightly old and a bit worn. Looked like it was from classic muggle literature. "Thank you...I will read it when I can."

"You're welcome." James smiled and then sat down on his bed. "Are you going back to class or... are you staying?" he asked.

"I should head back to class. I just wanted to check on you so your friends wouldn't bother me anymore" Severus huffed looking around James dorm room.

"Alright then. Could we meet up at midnight in the halls? I will bring my invisibility cloak." James offered.

"Midnight? Isn't that after curfew potter." Severus smirked looking at him.

"Do I look like I care that it's after curfew? Or don't you dare to sneak out?" He smirked back.

"Fine then I will meet you later tonight. Don't make me regret it." Severus smirked "I sneak out on the occasion." Severus revealed and thought about it a bit.

"Will your friends be joining us?" He asked James as he wanted to avoid the other marauders as much as possible.

"I guess Sirius won't after what happened last time. Peter probably won't either but I guess Remus will be joining us. Do you mind?" He asked.

Severus felt oddly disappointed by that but kept his face neutral. "I don't mind as long as he doesn't bother me."

"Remus is the last one you should worry about, as long it's not full moon of course." James said as he whispered the last part. "Okay, see you later then." He said after a while as he let Severus out.


End file.
